well-dressed foolish ideas

I'll write something of substance when I have something of substance to say.

But I finished the month of daily blogging. And for that I deserve a cup of hot chocolate.
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I have spent the better part of the afternoon looking for a job. It has had a side effect that isn't so fun - I'm terribly cranky. Unemployment makes me sad. So I made this list of links to things I've already written that aren't all cranky.

Oh and here's this - 2 years ago today, I wasn't so cranky: What I've been doing lately

And now the list...

A stroll

Down

Memory

Lane

Open Question

Open Letter

Delivery
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I'm packing and preparing for the terror of the airport. So here is a list of links I have been meaning to tell you all about for months.

Tesco condemned for selling pole dancing toy

Nice one, Tesco. (via Jack)

Adult Night Club Offers Flu Shot

... Okay. Sure.

Robin Hood was Welsh and never went to Nottingham, claims book

And anyone who actually lives in Nottingham rejoiced!

Young Moguls: 20 Outstanding Entrepreneurs Under 35

Just interesting.

50 Most Awesomely Bad Songs Ever

I agree with everything except Number 1. Because THAT ROCKED.
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A history of bloggers. Go. See. Report back if you giggled audibly. Please.

(I ran out of something to write about on November 3rd. Be gentle. It's almost over.)
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I'm busy being family oriented. Also, the internet isn't as dependable here as it is at home. So I'm posting a bit sporadically. And now for something completely different!

I love when people find things to put on their bunnies, take pictures, put them on the internet and then add funny captions. Like this one of Oolong.
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Look. Netgear. Make this network actually work please. Because three days on the phone with tech support people and not actually getting anywhere with getting the wireless network to actually work - it's killing me. Everyone I've talked to (Hi, Shauna, Cindy, Sandeep (I think that was your name?), Faruk, Paul and Sandy!) has been really nice, but nothing productive comes out of our conversations. I know you're trying and all, but we always seem to end our conversations with the same network status as when it all began. For that, I don't like you very much right now. I'm sorry, and I'm sure you're all lovely people, but it all just makes me want to curl up in a fetal position for a good cry until the internet works all the time and without wires.
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I spend all this time taking pictures, right? Some of them actually turn out alright. So I think I need to start showing the good ones off. If other people think they are alright enough to publish, ooh, I would do a jig! But let's put things in perspective here - I would need to upload something. And in order for that to happen I have to sort through every picture I've taken and then pick one. One. Oy vey.

Or I could just finish uploading 300 pictures to Flickr and then go to bed.

Or just go to bed. Soon. Ish.
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Women for Women. Go check it out and if it moves you, why not give them a lil sumtin' sumtin'?
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As it is that time of year, I thought I would forego the family stories for the time being and tell you about another way to give thanks. Xerox is sponsoring a program to send postcards of thanks to the troops. You can submit a design or use one of the designs they already have.

Check it out at Let's Say Thanks.
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She says we've got to hold on to what we've got
cause it doesn't make a difference if we make it or not
We've got each other and that's a lot for love -
WE'LL GIVE IT A SHOT

WHOA

We're half way there

WHOA - OH

Livin' on a prayer

But it's only because I'll be flying today with the rest of the country. Buckle up and know where those exits are!
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Multiple choice question:

What goes better with Tokillyou, hence is the only way to drink it?

A. With an orange slice and a cinnamon sprinkle.

B. With an orange and and this is just WRONG.

C. With a lime slice and a salt sprinkle.

D. You're fucking crazy if you don't choose C.

I'm as of yet undecided. Sort of. I'm leaning towards A, but I have this gut feeling that that would be just awful.

Oh wait! I've had tequila that way and it is awful!

Right.
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Because I will be flying away from home to visit with the family for the upcoming festivities, I'm going to miss the official Christmas-decorations-are-acceptable-to-put-up-now day on Friday. This disturbs me to my very core. For years and years I've loved Christmas decorations. I usually don't get so involved in any kind of holiday, as most of them are cheesy or have utterly lost their charm, but Christmas rocks. End of.
(Here's what it looks like when Christmas pukes on my mantle.)


And because I can cheat, since I'm an adult, I've gone and invited Santa to come around the place a little early and start the holiday season off right. I need his blessing, see, before I can consider the decorations to be good. They're nowhere near done just yet. We're missing a tree, all the trimmings that go with the tree, and the annoying decorations like the wire frame reindeer covered in lights with the bobbing head. I'm this close to being able to put one on the balcony. I'm working on it, and I think my powers of persuasion are winning. I'm so excited.

So when Santa came round, I wanted to offer him a cup of tea or a cup of coffee so he could take a load off and relax for a bit, but the tap water here sucks at the moment and I didn't want some kind of illness to set in and overrule Santa's immune system this close to his big day. Just think of all the children that would want me dead. And if there's anything you don't want in life, its to have children you didn't have a hand in creating wishing you dead. And in my case, that's every stinkin' child. And that's a little too much for me.
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Two fashion trends I have been asking people about for the last five years. And I have yet to get an answer for, "WHY GOD WHY!?"

Leather pants. Please, explain this to me. I do not understand.

Also, please refrain from wearing leather pants with a leather vest and a leather trench coat. On the same day.

On second thought, please don't explain it to me, but please stop wearing leather pants entirely.

Jeans or pants of any kind under a skirt. If it's cold, wear the damn pants without the skirt. If it's not that cold wear the damn skirt without the pants. But for the love of god, stop wearing them together, it's disgusting.


And holy shit!! I read 48 blogs every single day.
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Here - go be amused by spam.

(Or... I have nothing else to write about, so I'm sending you to see other stuff on the internet.)

Psst. This one's my favorite.
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Boring snoring.

Why should you be using it? Well, isn't it obvious that it's a contageous and remarkably funny phrase that can be used to describe pretty much anything?

"So, how was the zoo?"

Boring snoring.

"So, how's the weather?"

Boring snoring.

"So, are you excited that its nearly Christmas?"

Boring snoring.

"So, what do you think of leopard slippers?"

Boring snoring.

But really, leopard slippers are completely awesome.
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Because blackbird was so nice about my stealing from her before...

Explain what ended your last relationship?
Complacency. And silence.

When was the last time you shaved?
Yesterday.

What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.?
Sleeping. Maybe even snoring.

What were you doing 15 minutes ago?
Eating cinnamon and sugar sprinkled toast.

Are you any good at math?
Yeah. It used to be my favorite subject in school. And I don't even balance my checkbook now...

Your prom night, what do you remember about it?
Other than the fact that I went home at midnight because I had just come down with strep throat, you mean? Oh. Um. Well, not much really.

Do you have any famous ancestors?
Yeah. In a way. That I won't explain.

Have you had to take a loan out for school?
No.

Last thing received in the mail?
My BC driver's license.

How many different beverages have you had today?
Three. Tea, coffee and 7up (ew, Sprite is so much better.)

Do you ever leave messages on people’s answering machine?
Yes, yes I do. I do it so I can remind myself how much I dislike leaving messages, as they all seem to end with "umm, so yeah. bye." What can I say? I'm a whiz with words.

Who did you lose your CONCERT virginity to?
I'm ashamed about this now, since this is the third time in as many weeks that I've admitted this outloud to the internet. Jefferson Starship. At Disneyland. I was like 8. They were playing near Space Mountain, which is the one ride I stood in line for that day.

Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?
No, who does? I mean, I have once taken credit for a sand castle that I had no part in making, but seriously, writing my name? Nah uh.

What’s the most painful dental procedure you’ve had?
Before they attached the most hideous braces on my teeth - the ones that were banded around the teeth and not just glued on - they put this torture device on the roof of my mouth to make my molars sit farther apart from each other. There was a key that I could use to self inflict the pain, which I had to turn every day a half a turn for just under a whole month. AND THEN the bastard that was my orthodontist - the only guy I've ever seen in my life to have ear hair - he put the braces on and then gave me a retainer for my bottom jaw. I couldn't really eat much solid food for months. But I did have spaghetti a lot.

What is out your back door?
I'm so glad we have a balcony so that I can answer that there's a balcony out the back door! Finally! After 5 years of wanting a damn balcony. HA! (ahem, sorry.)

Any plans for Friday night?
Drinks. Out. Downtown. At a bar. With some people I don't know - hey, it's a big bar.

Do you like what the ocean does to your hair?
I have pin straight hair. It does nothing besides be straight, no matter the weather, style or environment. I fear that I must abstain from answering this question.

Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns?
Well, not me exactly, but my roommate from college was crazy about them, so we got at least one of them one year around Christmas I think. She also got a huge Cracker Jack tin (we called it a box but it wasn't) that later became the storage device for all sorts of random things. Hey! Superglue? In the Cracker Jack box. Mat cutter for the new pictures? Check the Cracker Jack box! Dremel tool? Have you checked the Cracker Jack box? Oh yeah. Scotch tape, duct tape, scissors, lint brush, lighters, shot glasses, votive candle holders? You know it! Seriously, everything went into that box.

Have you ever been to a planetarium?
I used to go see the Laserium show at least once a month at the Morrison Planetarium in Golden Gate Park in the early 90's. It was brilliant!

Do you re-use towels after you shower?
Yeah, why? Are they like underwears and shouldn't be used more than once between washings? Is this a rule that no one told me about?

Some things you are excited about?
Scarves. Photography (this is a new thing). Plants/Gardens/Flowers. Crisp Autumn air. Christmas-time.

What is your favorite flavor of JELL-O?
Is there any other flavor besides raspberry worth eating? I think NOT!

Describe your keychain(s)?
Three key rings chained together, an apartment building fob, a door key, a mail key and a carabiner. Oh and 2 hair ties.

Where do you keep your change?
In my wallet. Unless I've gone all annoyed and dumped the pennies in the bottom of my purse, which happens sometimes.

When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people?
2001 I think. And I have no idea what I would have talked about, but it would have had something to do with Psychology.

What kind of winter coat do you own?
A to-the-knees black wool coat. I don't know the proper fashion terms for it. It's warm.

What was the weather like on your graduation day?
I have been told it was exceptionally hot, but I can only remember the searingly bright sun and the outside ceremony and BLACK robes.

Do you sleep with the door to your room open or closed?
Both, but not at the same time.
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Bush arrives in Vietnam A couple decades late, no?
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I've probably been more eloquent on other occasions, and if you're dying for eloquence and not whiney, bitchy blogging, check out other, smoother posts I've made in the past:

Joblessness and the Thrill of it all

The happenings in May 2006

Because the night

Jack Handy and I go way back

Skip the first few paragraphs, they suck

Lifelong Dreams

A Smattering of Memories

Otherwise, this joblessness is kicking my ass all over the playground. I'm not exactly sure how much longer I'm going to be able to deal with this without completely losing my mind. Not having something to do during the day is somehow degrading and depressing. And I have just nothing to do during the day. Being reminded of my entire employment situation by several people a day can make it even worse - I swear, at this point I would imagine that if and maybe when my employment situation changes I would likely not keep it all that secret. Seriously.
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(I'm a sucker for punishment, so I'm trying this upgrade thing again so Blogger will stop yelling at me. I might be gone a while.)

I stole. From Blackbird. Who did not tag me. But she stole from Schmutzie. Who did not tag her. But shush.

Lists of Things

1. Things on my desk: 4 packs of Christmas cards just begging to be addressed and stamped, a Lilo (from Lilo & Stitch) toy from McDonald's, a LEGO (tm) Harry Potter Night Bus, an Oxford postcard calendar and calendar holder, Play Doh and a bunny ear extractor to go with the Play Doh, a D Link wireless router - functioning, a D Link wireless router - not plugged in (that would be superfluous, wouldn't it?), two sticks 512M RAM, a Sony Monitor, my cell phone, a plant, the cable modem, a 320G external hard drive that holds all my digital media, a stack of our new checks, a container of nailpolish, a silver coaster, and a European plug for the D Link wireless router that is not functional.



2. Things on the table: let's call this the coffee table - we don't have a kitchen table. a TiVo remote, a TV remote, a tea cup on a silver coaster, a spoon, and 4 (not 6!) silver coasters stacked in a silver coaster tray.



3. Things I am wearing: leopard print fuzzy slippers, jeans, black underwears, a blue t-shirt, 2 ponytails, 3 tiny hoop earrings and 2 rings.



4. Things in my bag: My wallet, a Bic lighter, Carmex, a blistex stick, my house keys, a mini tylenol bottle with advil and sudafed in it, a carabiner, loose change (pennies suck), and a thing of lip gloss.



5. Things that made up my lunch: Its not lunch yet, let's do breakfast. A slice of buttered bread with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on it. Oh, and a cup of tea. (ed: It was toast, actually, not just plain bread...)



6. Things I wish I'd never swallowed: that nickel when I was 6.



7. Things I have a fondness for that are less than obvious: grooming my toes (painting, filing, etc etc), starting the dishwasher, towels fresh out of the dryer, a cat with its tongue stuck out, and very large red autumn leaves.



8. A thing I wish was not stuck in my head: a line from a beatles song. Rocky Raccoon.

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I tivo'd a late night show from last night that had an actor that I had been told was British. It didn't sink in, though, because he plays an American doctor on TV. With an American accent. As opposed to a British accent - like the one he pulled on Friends when he was so annoyed with Rachel when she was going to bust in on Ross and Emily's wedding in England. (Thanks Heather for the link to you tube!)

Hugh Laurie.

He speaks.

With a british accent.

British.

Hmm.

That is all. Carry on. Nothing to see here.
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Thanks for your interest in the new Blogger in beta. An error has occurred that has prevented us from switching your account at this time. Our engineers have been notified of the issue, and your blogs and Blogger account should not be affected.

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I love three day weekends. They're fun. They do, however, make for not exciting blog fodder. So here's what I learned from the BBC today.

According to a BBC program, the word vegan was first widely used in the 1940's. It didn't specify exactly how widely it was used in the 40's, though.

The Oxford English Dictionary folks first estimated it would take them 10 years to write the dictionary starting in the middle (ish) of the 1800's. It took 5 years to get definitions from A to Ant. Finally when it was first published, it had 15,000 pages.

Also, the BBC blames Americans for ruining English.

Apparently, we are the only people to split infinitives, and I hear that we also have a sickening habit of using dangling modifiers. Now, please go ask any Brit on the street what either of those phrases actually mean in grammatical terms.

Side note: Because I have never experienced Blogger to be that reliable when changing anything, I just wanted to put up a post that tells you that if you don't hear from me for a while, it might be because I'm just about to "upgrade" to the new beta!
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So, I saw these ads ages ago on The View. (God, if you don't know what that is, please don't make me explain it.) I just totally forgot about them until I was just flipping through someone's Flickr pictures. (Still addicted folks. Still.)

Go check out what Dove is doing. Seriously, I'm buying Dove products just because of these ads. (And the shower wash/gel stuff smells better than the rest of the bottles on the shelf in my local store. Added bonus.)

Campaign for Real Beauty

Model Evolution - Campaign for Real Beauty on You Tube

Kids - Campaign for Real Beauty on You Tube
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Everyone has their own favorite words. You, me, that guy over there - shh don't look! So let's make a deal. I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours!

Oh, really, let's be serious, I'm not that patient. Here. A compilation of my favorite words, in various languages and in no particular order.

Obey (E)

Oblique (E)

Ananas (De)

Unartig (De)

Inuit (E)

Retarded (E)

Tonto (Sp)

Freckle (E)

Befuddle (E)

Discombobulated (E)

Raro (Sp)

Ta (British)

Strawberry Vodka (universal)

Your turn!

(Update: To those 12 of you that keep coming back - you can put up a comment.)
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I'm still flipping through many-a-blog with the OMG, it's the NaBloPoMo Randomizer! I can't really find a reason to stop this daily obsession, and I need to add at least 50 more blogs to my bookmarks before the end of the month. During the flipping and scanning, I can't help but feel a little giddy and then a pang of sadness for each blog I flip by that hasn't kept the one post per day pace. After the pang of sadness, I go back to giddy.

Because, let's face it, nothing says I'm a jerk more than blog-schadenfreude.
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No, no. It's not a job. Well, I'm missing one of those too, but that's not what I'm talking about here.

Since for the duration of this month, I've put my name down on the NaBloPoMo list, I've taken a bit of extra time to peruse the other people that are crazy like me. I've frequently used the OMG, it's the NaBloPoMo randomizer to find new blogs to peruse. Randomizing my reading, well it's been great. I've seen a lot of blogs that I've bookmarked, and commented on at least a handful that I forgot to bookmark - whoops!

Can I just say, holy Jesus Mary and Joseph! There's a whole lot of folks that knit. And sew. And then BLOG ABOUT IT.

I feel like there's a secret club of knitters and I'm not eligible to join because I'm not sure what to do with a ball of yarn and some sticks. I'd probably just end up chucking the ball of yarn at my kitty. And that won't make me a new scarf. I'm missing out on homemade/handmade with love scarves. And no one but no one loves a scarf like I do.

So how badly do I need a new hobby? One that involves yarn and some sticks.
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I like video games. I own a significant number of them. I like to play them. I think everyone should play games. Play games that you enjoy - card games, board games, video games, whatever! Just play games.

When it comes to video games, however, they seem to have a bad rep. There's lots and lots of bad press about them, for varying reasons.** One of the more popular gaming websites started a worthwhile charity in response to one journalist's piece about how horrible video games are and what kind of influence they have on children. The men that responded to this article published in 2003 about how bad video games are are still going strong with with their Child's Play charity.

Please, take a look at the website. Please, if it moves you, if you are so inclined, take a look at the amazon wish lists for any of the hospitals. Please, understand that this isn't about giving kids violent video games. This is about giving kids games. These kids are definitely deserving of some fun.

I'll leave up the link on the sidebar til the drive is done on December 20. Please take a look.

(And check out their daily comics. They're funny! Sometimes they make more sense with their post on the main page, though.)

**Please, if you have children and they play video games, please know what they are playing and don't just blindly buy whatever they say they want. Pay attention to ratings and buy age appropriate games. Teach them to be responsible, and don't give yourself a reason to be mad at an industry that employs some very cool and well-intentioned people. Trust me, game developers don't want parents pissed at them.
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It's the way of the ... um... TV series world. It's always going to be this way, and I know that. I know it. I just don't want to accept it. It seems, well, stupid.

So let's say there's a show, for example, Alias (one of my favoritest in the WORLD, okay?). It shows up, it makes splashes, and critics and the public alike rave about it. It's fawned over and the story line arcs perfectly. You can see where we're gonna go with the whole series, likely broken down into seasons where you get a hint, or at least have some sort of inkling of what's coming that season. None of this pansy British season either, a real season. A season with 24 episodes, one that takes up SIX discs on DVD, plus maybe a few extras.

So we've got Alias Season 1, and it establishes a problem that needs some kind of resolution, right? It's got something to prove and it has to stick around at least a year to get through it. But every week there's something akin to closure. It's a full story within the 24 piece story. It's ... an episode. That fits into the grand scheme of things and it makes sense both big and small! It's great!

And then we span a grander story over let's say about 2 seasons, in order to give the writers some time to come up with (oh dear god!) a way to extend the arc because YAY! The show is coming back for year 3! They have to find a resolution that's not really a resolution because OH NO! The story arc changes. It just evolves into season 3. That's fine, right? You keep the characters, or at least most of them. Maybe add one. If you're really desperate, you might add two. And get rid of a couple. Okay. That's totally fine with me.

But WHAT THE HELL IS WITH THE WHOLE FIFTH SEASON? Seriously? The reason I actually watched the damn show in the first place is because Sydney kicked ass. She was a SPY. She was Bond in a TV series with a better body, sparklier eyes and a higher pitch voice, shame about the cars though. She was all intrigue and wow! That hair! And didn't you just want to know how she would get herself out of the situations she ALWAYS found herself in? The first couple seasons, yeah they were all about Sydney. But they weren't ALL ABOUT SYDNEY. Later seasons just get way too incestuous and totally and completely, "Yeah this could totally never happen to anyone." Sydney never got out of situations, she just well, got lucky without even faking like she was trying. It was depressing, but I still watched it.

Same thing with Lost at the moment. Truly, I hate it this season, but I cannot resist. Its a disease. Help me. Right, so. The first two seasons, WOW. Great! I was completely hooked and (ahem) watched episode after episode that had been downloaded. (HEY, that's legal in Austria. I was being a law abiding citizen.) The stories were weaving. Connections were established and we were getting somewhere. FINALLY. After 47 episodes, we were truckin! And then BAM! Like a golf shoe to the face! Episode 48 - EH??

I'm thoroughly upset what with practically LOSING more than half the cast in the interest (huh??) of picking up about 10 more in the others' camp. Great, thanks. And the end of one of the more recent episodes - maybe two weeks back? Seriously, why would it behoove anyone to add some geography at this point? Wouldn't it have been SO much better if he got to the top of the hill and there was a goddamn CONCORDE hangin' out up there? (Yeah, I KNOW it's a plane that only flew for British and French companies, go with me here.)

I can't stand to watch it, and I just moan constantly while its on. The batterings and the melodrama and the us vs. them crapola. Bring back the freaky island weirdness and put all the plane crash people in the same place again. Drown the freakos that keep stealing boats, or just isolate them on the OTHER FUCKING ISLAND. And please, with the love triangle - Stop. It. Now. Can we get back to the whole concept that sold me on the first season? The flashbacks, bring them back, the ones that are actually not crap and intertwine in the plot of the episode, and added bonuses when they intertwine with other crashed peoples' personal backgrounds. There was hallucinations that I loved so much. And what was that polar bear doing on a tropical island? Oh, and this whole, "Hey here's what's goin on with this guy in the first episode, NOW WAIT just long enough to forget what the hell's going on with him (3 weeks?) to see him again!" new thing - yeah it's annoying. Stop it. I'm serious. Stop. Now.

Oh and I have to wait til FEBRUARY for the next episode? Hmph. No sir, I don't like it.

Just to make sure there's no confusion here, I wanted to let the people that make The Bachelor know that they're totally winning me over. But really, they're only winning me over because it's so bizarre and asinine. Also, I cannot complain that this season of Gilmore Girls is all wrong because, well I'll be honest here, I have only seen a couple episodes from season 6 before I started watching the new stuff. I have no idea what style those people fucked up. Yet. DVDs are being ordered.

Hey, and CSI people, just how many versions of this damn show are absolutely needed? Its just like when poor Regis had to host Who Wants to be a Millionaire? every night. Cut it out! If it's good once, do you really think it has to be good 17 times? FFS, stop it already! I'll watch one version, but you're really pushing your luck to get more than that. Now, which one is the one with the blonde chick from The West Wing?

Stop selling out or what ever the hell it is you TV show making people are doing, would ya please? If you have a style that sells, STICK WITH IT and stop infuriating your fans.

Thanks.

Also, a personal note to Thomas Schlamme and Aaron Sorkin: xoxo I still adore your shows. The West Wing was just never the same after you two left. (I still watched though. It's this thing I can't stop. I'm sorry.) I have the latest episode of Studio 60 tivo'd. I'll get back to you about that one.

Whew! I feel better. You?
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Democrats take Senate too

And now I will go do a jig. NAKED!
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There's reference there to a cervix. On my card. Oh me, oh my.

You are the World

Completion, Good Reward.

The World is the final card of the Major Arcana, and as such represents saturnian energies, time, and completion.

The World card pictures a dancer in a Yoni (sometimes made of laurel leaves). The Yoni symbolizes the great Mother, the cervix through which everything is born, and also the doorway to the next life after death. It is indicative of a complete circle. Everything is finally coming together, successfully and at last. You will get that Ph.D. you've been working for years to complete, graduate at long last, marry after a long engagement, or finish that huge project. This card is not for little ends, but for big ones, important ones, ones that come with well earned cheers and acknowledgements. Your hard work, knowledge, wisdom, patience, etc, will absolutely pay-off; you've done everything right.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

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I'm not going to attempt to hide my dislike for the current administration. It would be futile and, well, just plain lying. I spent a whole lot more time yesterday watching and reading news reports. With each report and with each story, I waqs just that little bit more pleased.

But this tops the cake. Rumsfeld? Gone? Today? YEEEEEES! Why didn't he do this sooner? He could have kept the Congress. Too bad!

(I'll see if I can come back a bit later and not gloat or speak a word of politics.)
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Because I'm a bit distracted with reading the up to the minute news articles about the election, I'm having trouble forming complete and interesting sentences. So, please enjoy the extremely US centric post for today.

Find your Polling Site

Election Poll Stats Very good site!

National Elections Information Map

Midterms Info at a glance

Bush approval ratings drop to 35 percent

Track Bush's approval rating

Bush's own guys are avoiding him

Problems Pepper Election Day

Switch to paper ballots after electronic machines prove not that good

Things you may not know about names on your ballot

Watch out South Dakota

Cheney's Hunting for Votes

Could you pass the US citizenship test? - Quiz yourself! How'd you do? I got one wrong. Who the hell knows who said "Give me liberty or give me death"? Pah!
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It always fills me with such a warm and fuzzy feeling. It's like I'm sat near a cozy fireplace with a wooly blanket after a delicious and elaborate holiday meal. Except the reality of voting from outside the country where your vote is counted is more like calling your credit card company and asking if you could please speak to a person instead of that really efficient and effective voice recognition system they have goin' on there.

Plus, when you actually go to the polls, you get that sticker. But, ha! I already cast my vote, suckahs! Let's just hope the Canadian and US mail services didn't lose it.

I hope if you're in the States you take the time to get to the polls tomorrow. New rule: You can't complain about the state of the nation unless you participate. Got it?
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adopt your own virtual pet!

Meet Snarf. Mrs. Kennedy linked to this fantastic adoption center. I needed another pet. If you don't click on More, you won't be able to feed snarf.

I couldn't let snarf hang out without a friend (or snack). Here's spike.

adopt your own virtual pet!

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Completely off topic of what follows below... The rain has ceased after four long days and four long nights. I didn't get a yacht to hang out in, but I'll suffer silently about it. UPDATE: The rain has begun again. Maybe we'll make it another 36 days. End of Update.

In doing a little research about the title of this post, I looked up Genesis Chapter 7 and 8, just to read about the 40 days and nights of rain and the great flood where Noah - 600 years old at the time - built himself a boat and brought some pets on board. The ancient man was afforded 7 days for building the biggest boat in the world. And he did it. Well played, Noah.

Let it be said, I'm not a religious person. I was brought up with two parents who were, however. One was Catholic, while the was other Lutheran. They required their kids to go to mass or service on Sunday or be in Sunday school, as well. I attended a private Catholic school for 6 years until all the begging in the world from me convinced my recently divorced parents to stop the torture and let me go to school where class sizes were smaller than the 40 kids that they were in the place where my parents had paid for me to learn to recite the Gettysburg address. (Grammar be damned, right? Cuz that last sentence was horrible.) The Gettysburg address recital proved to be incredibly useful later in life. A party trick, if you will. And later in my school career I memorized the old English version of the introduction to the Canterbury Tales, which also has become a trademarked party trick. Anyways, that was all there to prove that I know something about Christianity. Except the party trick bit.

So in my research on the great world wide web for the title of what was supposed to be some funny piece about the rains in Vancouver, I ran across this version of Gen 8:1

And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that [was] with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged;

ASS WAGED.

That's not even a word, is it? No, no it's not. I looked it up on the internet. And the internet never lies!
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Okay, how sick are you of reading about moving? Seriously, its all I talk about these days and I think I might be boring myself to death. So I'll get the moving stuff out of the way and then move on to something way more not exciting. My days have been a bit blah so I'm a bit blah in my writing. Please come back later for not crap.

I've got two bedrooms to unpack/organize. I'll do that once I actually get the new pieces of furniture delivered and then assembled. Oh how I hate assembling furniture. The living room, kitchen and bathrooms all look like we can live in them. The den is a massive pile of wires, computer pieces, and two very pretty desks which are covered completely with piles of notebooks, paperwork, cds, games, and good god even game consoles. I have a list as long as both my arms of things that must be bought in the very near future. Some of the things on the list require assembly. Its exhausting just thinking about it.

So it's been pissing it down outside for the past three days. I think it took a wee break for a few minutes yesterday sometime around sunset, but I couldn't find my camera in all this moving chaos to be able to snap some shots of the pretty colored sky. I'm enjoying watching the sea planes take off and land in the harbor from the living room. Its quite enchanting to see, actually. The kitty is enjoying her view, but gets a little befuddled at the seagulls that fly by the windows. Let's see how much she likes it when I get back from shopping with a tall cat scratcher tower thing for her!
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So I'm sitting on the whole idea of going to see some movies, for lack of being able to decide. Check out the trailers. And I tucked a quick history lesson in the middle there that you can totally feel free to skip. Unless recess is over, and then you just have to grin and bear it.

The Break-Up 12 lemons for a centerpiece, good god! I have to go buy the DVD, since it's already been in theaters and I totally missed that. So not my fault!

Death of a President They shopped this film at the Toronto Film Festival to get a distributor willing to distribute the movie across the US. I'm not certain, but have heard/read in some places that the movie is now being banned in places in the States. This troubles me. It is a work of Fiction. Come on! This is totally not the thing that is going to plant in someone's head any kind of plan to do anything illegal in regards to the president.

The Queen A whole movie about British royalty? I cannot pass that up.

Marie Antoinette I have to see this. I mean, there's Kirsten Dunst, what with my first name and all. And then there's the fact that Sofia made the film. I like her films. They're pretty.

Commence - History Lesson (Feel free to jump ahead, if for any reason you find yourself yawning. There's more movie links below!)

Because it bothers me for some stupid reason, I just want to clarify something. Marie Antoinette was not the cold hearted bitch that is mistaken for the person that said, "Let them eat cake." It is thought that Maria Theresa of Spain said it. Maria Theresa of Spain was married to Louis XIV, the Sun King. (She is not to be confused with Maria Theresa of Austria, first and only Holy Roman Empress and Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia. The Austrian one was awesome, and very well loved. She was daughter of Karl VI and granddaughter of Leopold I. Leopold's uncle (on his mother's side) was Maria Theresa of Spain's father. All summed up, the one who said "Let them eat cake." was Leopold's cousin, and Marie Antoinette's far distant relative. (Great great great cousin? Great cousin twice removed? God I don't understand the cousin thing. Anyone?)

History Lesson Over.

Stranger Than Fiction Emma Thompson and Will Ferrell - it's a completely interesting pairing. All the TV trailers crack me up. I will giggle most of the way through this movie. I'm determined!

The Prestige I cannot pinpoint exactly why it is I want to see this film, but I just do. It intrigues me. And the fact that it's Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale might have a teensy bit to do with it, but I swear that's not the whole reason.

The Good German Its based on a book that I own and have yet to read. I will get around to reading it. It's been in my little shelf next to the bath for bath time reading. I didn't get in very many baths over the roasting hot summer. And then I moved.

Which one is most appealing? Or how about some suggestions to add to my list?
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I know you can't get enough of reading (a limited amount) about this whole moving thing I've gotten myself into here. So, just to keep the theme of pictures going on here, how about a few more apartment related pictures? Whacha think? Feel free to complain about the shakiness and blurriness - it might even compel me to get a tripod.


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As I have to go meet up with the internet people who will give me internet at the new home, I don't have much time before I'd be officially late.

So, here's my short post to say I published something today, and I'm a jerk for being a bit busy with moving. Please not to be upset with me. Thanks! If I have time and internet later, I'll give you a pretty picture to look at.
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I'm a little busy, so here's the first post for November's Blog Torture. Please accept my apologies for it being so short and all, but I'm sure the picture of HOBNOBS will totally make you feel better.


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